Improvement in carriage-covers



J. I. RANKIN.

Carriage-Top Patented May 19. 1863.

N-FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPKER, WASHINGTON. DIG.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JAMES I. RANKIN, OF ASTORIA, NEW YORK.

lMPPrOVEMENT IN CARRIAGE-COVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,60], dated May 19, 1863; antedated April 2, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES I. RANKIN, of Astoria, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved (JarriageOover; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of my invention in an unfolded state; Fig. 2, an end view of the same in a folded or elevated state; Fig. 3, a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object .of this invention is to obtain a cover to protect carriages from dust, &c., while in carriage-houses-one which may be readily raised above the carriage and folded down over it by a single person, and without danger of injuring or marring the carriage.

Carriages are at present protected by simply throwing a cloth over them, and this, if the carriage be a high one, is attended with considerable difficulty, and cannot be done properly by a single person, as the cloth-at least some portion of it-will almost invariably come incontact with the floor and become soiled.

This invention 0 nsists in constructing a cover and arranging it with cords and pulleys in such a manner that it may by a single person be raised above the carriage and lowered or folded down over it, the cover being attached to the ceiling of the apartment in which the carriage is placed, as hereinafter shown and described.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the cover for the carriage, constructed of cloth. Unbleached muslin would answer a good purpose. This cover is formed with four sides, a, and a top, b, strongly stitched together, and, when completed, of

- such dimensions as to fully cover the carriage and extend down nearly to the floor. This cover has cross-strips 0 c secured to its top b, as shown in Fig. 3, and these strips are nailed to the ceiling or to the beam 0 above the spot where the carriage is placed when in the carriage-house.

In the lower part of each side a of the cover there is inserted a rod, d, of metal or heavy wood, to serve as weights and insure the ready falling or unfolding of the cover Wh(I1 required, and to the inner surface of each side a of the cover, near its upper end, there are attached two cords or ropes, B B. These cords or ropes extend down within the cover, pass underneath the rods or weights d, and then extend upward and pass over pulleys f, attached to the ceiling. The cords or ropes B of the four sides a all pass through eyes or guides g, and extend down at one side of the cover, so that they may all be grasped at once by the operator. (See Fig. 2.)

From the above description it will be seen that when the cover A is down the operator, by grasping all the cords or ropes B and drawing them downward, will raise simultaneously all the sides a of the cover, so that they will be above the top of the carriage, and the latter will therefore be entirely free, so that it may be rolled out from underneath the cover. (See Fig. 2.) The cover may be kept in an elevated or folded state by fastening the cords or ropes B to a fixture arranged for the pur' pose.

1n placing the carriage after use in the carriage-house it is rolled underneath the folded or elevated cover, and the cords or ropes B unfastened, so that the sides a of the cover, under the gravity of the weights, may descend.

The invention is extremely simple, may be constructed at a small cost, not greatly exceeding an ordinary cloth cover, and owing to the facility with which it may be adjusted and raised above the carriage will insure the latter always being properly protected from dust.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The suspended cover constructed substantially as described, and provided with cords and pulleys, all arranged to operate as and for the purpose herein set forth.

JAS. I. RANKIN.

Witnesses JAMES LAIRD, R. GAMLEY. 

